I slam my fist into the wall opposite the cot. So the kid had no ideas as of yet and I probably lost my chance to get out. He was too spooked about doing executions. I'm dead by the end of tomorrow and maybe Meijer too. If he survived the torture. Unless that kid decided to help but I doubt it. The only thing that made me think he would was how he acted and what he did. That didn't help at all. Might as well get whatever sleep I can...

An ISA soldier knocks loudly on the cell's door. I wake and he quickly escorts me out of there. Arse, I couldn't even get my helmet too? I'm dragged out onto the palace's courtyard. It's nice, big, and open. Too bad it looks really sad right now. Some of us were already on the ground in the center. Many ISA soldiers were chilling around either throwing food or making jokes about us. There was a bit more talk about me when I stepped out. I went down on my knees next to some others that I didn't know. After a few minutes, Meijer was carried out. Those bastards...

He looked bad enough I could barely recognize him. He didn't even look conscious right now. His uniform was stained in blood. They threw him on the ground next to me. It was all I could do to not check on him immediately.

Luna: this is my first time watching an execution.... This is pretty scary...

Tosh: You might want to close your eyes..... I still can't believe Tuyen has to do this.

Josh: This is going to get ugly!... *Closes eyes*

-Back at the execution center-

I have to shoot.... But I can't.... These people... They suffered because of Vektan greed... Our greed... The Vektan war machine has pushed the Helghast people away from their own homes, and I helped them... No...

This.

Changes.

TODAY.

Officer: Truong? Are you ready?

I aim at the other executers and shoot them. the crowd of ISA soldiers were in shock.

The executioners were in their position. I could feel the muzzle of one of their rifles on the back of my head. The kid was on my left, Meijer lay on the ground on my right. He was finally coming around but still awfully weak. They were probably going to get rid of him in a bit since he had no executioner yet. It's not like he was going to kill everyone in this room. Truong's friends were in the crowd, I could see their nervous faces.

Everything changed in an instant. The kid shot down all the executioners. Yay? Too late to sit there staring though. As one, all of us picked up a rifle. The ISA were already reacting. Fortunately, the chaos that ensued was enough to cover me, Meijer, and Truong. I picked up Meijer carefully and looked at the kid.

I try to follow him as fast as possible but it was hard. I could feel Meijer trying to make an effort to help but he wasn't strong enough. After lots of shooting and going down corridors, we reach a door labeled Armoury. I set Meijer down on the side for a little bit first. Then I dig out our old weapons. Equipment belts. StA18's. My VC32. An StA52. I look at Truong who was covering the door.

We burst through the doors and out onto a field where the Intruders were parked. I carefully put down Meijer onto the nearest one. Truong seemed to be messing with the controls. His friends were coming too.

Do you know how to fly this thing? I don't but I can provide cover fire.

They reached the Intruder but they didn't stop us from figuring out how to fly.

It was nice to handle my rifle again. I lift the scope up to my eye and carefully balance it on the safety rail. The first ISA soldier burst through and died before he could let out a single shot. I follow with a lot more shooting before I stop to reload. None of my shots miss.

@Meijer: You're still missing out on my shooting..

He manages a weak smile before falling limp again. He was going to need a LOT of medical help if, no WHEN, we got out of here. The Intruder starts rising and we're off. I'm surprised that Truong's friends came along with us.

I take the medkit from Josh with a small thank you. It was going to be hard to do this on a moving Intruder especially since I'm not entirely familiar with what I'm going to do. I start by putting disinfectant on some of his cuts that I could see outside of his clothing. Then I bandage them up or put gauze on them. I wasn't able to get the more major injuries on the inside without maybe accidentally stabbing him while cutting up his shirt. The only other thing I could do was stop the bleeding in his arm and fix up his wrists. I did NOT want to see how bad it was on the inside. That's why I'm not a medic.

The Intruder lands softly at the location of the coordinates. We were at a small collection of buildings in a remote area by a cliff. It was very uninteresting. There was what appeared to be an big, old satellite disk that rose up out of the valley but it only occupied a small section of that land. Some parts of it was littered with large chunks of metal which were probably abandoned mine elevators of some sort. We get off the Intruder but I leave Meijer on there in case something happens. One of the shacks' doors open and Helghast soldiers step out. They're suspicious but they outnumber us and gesture us inside. A couple take care of Meijer and strangely enough, one of them sits at the pilot's controls of the Intruder. They take off with Meijer still on there and fly over the valley.

A large rectangle formed with a slit down the middle. It split apart to reveal an underground hanger of ships. I was in awe. They must have a lot around here seeing how big this valley is...

The Helghast troops took us into an elevator and we descended. It was dark except for the glow of the Helghast's goggles. The doors opened and we stepped out into a neat, clean atrium complete with a reception desk. The desk was large and had three Helghast occupying it on computer screens. The floor had the Helghast triad on it. We were taken to a side door and down several corridors before arriving at a medium sized conference room. A Helghast officer was speaking to some other officer on the screen. It took a few minutes before he ended the little chat. Then he turned to us.

All Helghast in the room, including me, stood at attention immediately and saluted. He saluted back.

HGH dude: At ease, soldiers.

We relax a little and he comes up to me and offers his hand.

HGH dude: I'm Major Tatnell and I'm currently in charge of the operations here.

I take it.

Me: Corporal Vos, 37th Platoon. I've just made an escape from the ISA troops located at the Emperor's Palace.

Tatnell: We're here to debrief you, of course. And decide what do to with these friends of yours. Have a seat, all of you.

He sits down at one end of the conference table. We sit down around it while the Helghast escort stand guard by the door.

Maj: I'm afraid I cannot provide you with that type of intelligence without establishing some trust here. After all, you could be spies.

He snaps his fingers and a Helghast splits up Luna and Tosh.

Maj: Private, please bring in some refreshments and perhaps a few snacks. I believe we will be in here for quite a while.

The Helghast leaves the room and the major turns to me.

Maj: I believe you have some things to report, Corporal.

Me: Base Camp 4 where the 37th Platoon and 15th Platoon were was attacked about four days after the initial battle at Visari's Palace. I, Sgt. Meijer, and about seven others were taken prisoner. Meijer was interrogated by a Major Shepard, I believe. He was being tortured so he would reveal where the location of this headquarters is. When he didn't break, we were all deemed useless to the ISA and we were to be executed today. Truong, here, saved us. He shot down the executioners which let us pick up weapons to fight back. I took Meijer and we went to steal an Intruder to escape. His friends decided to join us as well. By this time, most of us were already killed and we had no choice but to abandon the few of us that were left. Meijer gave us the coordinates to this headquarters and we traveled here on that Intruder.

Maj: Very well, then. Truong, explain yourself. It is not typical for an ISA solder to perform such actions.

Well.... I recently read up Helghast history, and it is said that you guys were the first to colonize Vekta, and we stole Vekta from you. I had to go on execution duty, and execute Xue and Meijer. I didn't want to. I know that behind that cold armour, they are good people. And it was my fault. I powered the ISA's greed, and I don't want to be a part of that. I would like to join the Helghast army.

Luna: Hold up. I want to join too. I'm sick and tired of taking crap from Shepard, and I don't want to be treated like a little girl. I want to out on the field. I would liek to enlist too.

Josh: M-Me too.... I-I-I remember back on Vekta, I was wrongly promoted for something I didn't do. i want to start anew, be a different person!

Tosh: We;ll... i don't have much to say.... I'm just tired of shit from officers. They hate us. they never cared for us.

Me: Please. Accept us. We will be valuable assets to the Helghast army.

Tatnell watches the four ISA carefully. Actually, I can't even guess. He could be looking at some mini projection of a television program for all I know. I looked at him to see what he would do. This wasn't the sort of thing every Helghast officer had to deal with. It was usually take them in for interrogation or kill them.

Maj: Like I have said before, you will have to gain our trust that you are not here to sabotage our operations here. We will send you through some Helghast training but if you step out of line, you are lining up on the wall for execution. This will be extremely rigorous considering our circumstances and if you survive and prove your loyalty to us, then we will trust you. Is that understood?

I could hear the Helghast guards shuffle a little uncomfortably. Of course, they wouldn't want to train and learn with Vektan scum.